HELLADS: DARPA's Laser Weapons Takes Another Step Forward

DARPA is getting ready to move to the next phase of its High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System (HELLADS) program to demonstrate a laser weapon system compact enough to be carried on board a tactical aircraft - say a B-1B bomber or an AC-130 gunship - without affecting their ability to perform traditional missions.

The research agency has signalled its intent to award a 24-month contract to either or both of the HELLADS developers - General Atomics and Textron Defense Systems - to build and ground-test a 150kW laser compatible with the requirement for a weapon-system weight of 750kg.

Story over at Ares. We're getting really close to a shake up. We're now talking less than a decade for lasers to become deadly weapons on the battlefield. Without the noxious chemicals.